Explain this to Me

[Psalm Of Fire]

Everyone can use this thread too, but I have to ask: What's with cat-smiles? I don't get it. What does it mean? How did it start?

I understand the emotion attached to this , or this , or this , and such. But cat doesn't compute, yet.

[ewuvi]

Cat smile is like, I dunno, a smirk, is how I'd describe it, I guess.

[Wittgen]

I'm pretty sure the short answer is Japan. The long answer is that Japan likes cats and cat people and (perhaps most of all) people doing cute cat poses. Evidence: http://asianposes.com/pose-24-nyan-nyan/

So basically, making a cat face expresses cuteness, and so obviously this needed to be transmissible via emoticons.

[jgkitarel]

Indeed.

[Psalm Of Fire]

So it means "Look at me I'm cute" or "I'm being cute"?

Consider it explained.

[Dervon]

It can also be taken as implying mischievousness. I've seen people use it thus, when lacking a trolling smi-

Never mind, that lack has been filled.

[Psalm Of Fire]

Spoiler: show

Spoiler: show

Spoiler: show

[FeatherBlade]

I've always thought that the cat-face was mischievous without being malicious, and the troll-face indicated malicious mischief.

[jgkitarel]

or that is the question.

One implies mischief for the lulz (or evulz depending on the context), the other implies mischief, cuteness, or just plain silliness.

Hmmm.

[serbii]

I also saw using :3 as kind of... fondness? I guess I'd call it.

[ShonenHero]

Yeah, same here. Fondness or being pleased, I guess.

[jgkitarel]

It all depends on the context.